The Princess and the Street Rat
by kzdc
Summary: The caged ruby red bird sings, her song is heard. Heard by who? Her prince in shining armor? No— far from it. Rather, the pauper covered in rags and dirt. But who's to say he's not a prince in his own way?  AU James/Lily


Inspired by my little AU Jily grafic (found on tumblr), and the people who encouraged me to write it out. I'll apologize now if it sucks, but I really hope you guys like it. This is my first time writing a multi-chaptered fic, so please bear with me (I usually just drabble or do one-shots most of the time).

**Disclaimer**: I do not claim to own the Harry Potter franchise.

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><p>"What the hell?"<p>

James Potter woke up to a horrible, freezing wet feeling. And of course, the culprit was none other than his best friend, partner-in-crime, fellow street rat, Sirius Black. James could hear his friend's snickering from the opposite corner of the small shack.

"Just wanted to see if it would work, James!" He burst into laughter as he finished his sentence.

"Well, it bloody well worked, now didn't it, you dolt?" James ran a hand through his soaking wet hair. He gave his hand a flick and sent water flying towards Sirius' direction, but he was sure it wouldn't reach that far. Sirius was still giggling to himself. "You're an idiot, Black." James shook his head, grinning.

"Ohhhhhh, you know you love me James!" Sirius took the grin as a sign of peace, and walked over to the wet body mass that sat on the dirty makeshift cot. "Besides, it's nearing 11 o'clock and I'm getting hungry! You know how horribly watchful the baker gets during the noon hours."

"Right, right. That poor bloke gets so grumpy after the morning. Let's get going then. You'd better hope I dry off before we get there!"

James Potter and Sirius Black were what the more upstanding citizens would call thieves, swindlers, punks. Yes, they stole. Yes, they cheated. Yes, they weren't the best apples of the bunch. But what could two boys do when they had no parents to take care of them? With James parents falling fatally ill, and Sirius being abandoned as a child, they had to make do. When no one would take them in, both boys found haven in the skills of thievery and trickery and in each other- Sirius and James, brothers not through blood, but by fate.

Walking through the streets of the city, the pair could already tell that something big was happening in two square. People were walking along side of them, with their eyes twinkling with excitement and euphoria. James wondered why everyone was on the edge to see whatever was happening in the square. As they neared the plaza, however, it was plain to see. An announcement from his royal highness, King Thomas Anthony was scheduled at noon and the love the citizens had for its king and his announcements was almost ridiculous.

But, he was a great king, an understanding king. A king that cared for his people. It made sense for him to be so loved. Still.

The square was too crowded now. They had gotten up too late- thanks to James- but they had their ways of getting a good view. The boys hopped up onto a crate, jumping up to grab onto a small stone ledge of a roof, lifting their bodies carefully up onto the shingled roof of a home.

"Hear ye, hear ye! Let all ye citizens know of the Midsummer festival to take place in a fortnight from tonight! Preparations and all have been placed in the hands of the King's newly appointed advisor, the young and ever so intelligent Remus Lupin, son of renowned Duke Jonathan Lupin! We are ever so honored to have Sir Remus in our company!" The crowd burst into cheers.

James looked back at Sirius, who was leaning against the chimney. "You think that bloke's paid to talk like that?" Sirius chortled, and slid down beside James, in the process sending three or four shingles down to the ground.

"That Remus fellow sounds like a right git, too, eh?" Sirius stuck out his chin, puffed out his chest, and spoke in a high octave. "Good day, sir, Madame! May I take your coat this evening? Ohohoho, I'm the king's _royal_ advisor, ohohoh!" James couldn't help but holler.

As the town crier continued to cry, James attention started to shift elsewhere- the Evans estate. It wasn't a castle, which one would expect it to be. It was more along the lines of an extremely large town house; a mansion, really. It had a beautiful garden in the front, open to the public. There was a hedge maze that children played in for hours, large, beautiful flower beds containing every kind of flower native to the land. This would then lead to a petite, square courtyard where statues of soldiers appeared to be guarding the home that lay just past them. Inside that home, the King, his Queen, and his two of his three daughters lived. The eldest, Mary-kathe Petunia, had moved away, having been married off to a prince as a means of establishing connections. The middle daughter has never been seen in public; no one knows why. And the third, Amelia Therese, is a young child with enamoring fire red hair, of which she shares with her mother and her rumored older sister. James has seen their whole royal family, except for the second eldest. He begun to believe she didn't exist.

But as his eyes scanned the large home and its ornate exterior design, James could've sworn he had seen a flash of fiery locks zoom past the far left window.

"Mate, did you see that?" James extended a finger to point at the window, while nudging Sirius in the shoulder.

"What, see _what?_"

"There! Something in the window!"

"You're mad, Potter! Come on; let's take advantage of the crowd, eh? I'm sure the baker's got his hands full with this exciting news." Sirius hopped off the roof the same way he came, but James continued to linger on the roof, looking toward the mansion. "Oi! Come on!"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm coming!" James shook his head. His eyes must be playing tricks on him. The second princess didn't exist.

He'd have to see her to believe her. But for now, it was time to visit the bakery.


End file.
